The Pros and Cons of Driving Versus Flying

Of the many forms of travel, two of the most convenient for long distance travel are driving and flying. Whether it is beneficial to drive or fly is dependent on many factors both individual to the driver as well as to the circumstances at hand. Here are some of the pros and cons of driving versus flying.

Pros of Driving Versus Flying

Driving can be significantly cheaper than Flying when you consider all costs. Of course there are many factors like distance, tolls, and whether you have or need to rent a car that can determine the cost benefit associated with it. Flights may have added costs like baggage fees and the cost of getting to the airport and storing your car there. Often when you look at it in total, you can save money driving over Flying it be sure to include all the costs. You also need to buy additional airplane tickets for each additional passenger but can add another person to a plane with little additional cost.

For many, particularly those who are very tall, the idea of being cramped up in a plane can be disheartening. Cars, especially larger cars and suvs, can fit larger people more comfortably in them. This can avoid problems transporting them. With pregnant women or those with medical conditions, driving may even be a must.

When you fly to a new place you will still need to get around the new location and not having a car will often make it difficult, unless the city you are visiting has a great public transportation system. In these situations driving somewhere in your car is a big advantage over flying to a new location. While you can rent a car when you arrive at an area, this is an added cost and there may be age limitations in the area on who can legally rent a car. Further, with a car you can make interesting stops along the way, potentially in small and interesting sites and towns that you may otherwise not make a trip to on your own and thereby experience more that if you simply flew straight to your destination. As many acclaimed authors have concluded, the voyage is worth as much and sometimes more than the destination.

Cons of Driving Versus Flying

You have probably heard the statistics before, particularly after every airplane crash, but they are true. You are significantly more likely to be injured in a car than in a plane, though you obviously have a greater degree of control over your car than a plane and if you operate it with skill you can greatly reduce your chances for an accident.

Driving may take significantly longer than flying for longer distances. This is because the speed of a plane is significantly faster than that of a car. For shorter distances when you factor in the time to get to an airport, make your way through the check in process and Security, and leave yourself sufficient time to not be a nervous wreck, the time often balances out. For longer distances there is no real way to compensate for the faster speed of the aircraft and flying is a real advantage over driving.

The time spent flying may give you the chance to catch up on sleep, work, or simply the book or tv show you were looking to consume. Driving requires more effort and the ability to get some real rest and break in the car can be challenging for many people and is often not the best choice of travel to do so. Further, when flying you can go to places that you might otherwise not be able to reach by car such as islands or overseas adventures. Flying can also be significantly more relaxing than getting in a car for some, as the hard work is left to the pilot and you can disconnect from vacation.

Some people don’t see a driving vacation as a real vacation for these reasons and only feel as if they are escaping their day to day life when they get on a plane, even for a short trip. For these people, using a plane may have a very real psychological benefit that is associated with it.